Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-02
JEFF DAVIS AND WIFE.
STORY OF THE NAN WHO AIDED THEIR
ELOPEyBNT.
How the Young Lieutenant Ssals General rayi'rs
Daughtsr-Perlsd ACras The Mississippi
In the Dead Of Night
ChieuOo TribHRe.

Caieugo TribHRe-
| When the Jesuit missionaries carried
their little boats across the divide at Port
age and floated them again on the clear
water of the Wisconsin river, they had for
their aim the establishment of new mis-
sions in the valley OF the Mississippi
Father Hennepin found no place on the
upper Mississippi so advantageous for the
founding of mission as where the Wiscon-
sin river flows into the Mississippi, and
there, with the aid of the friendly Winnie
bagoes, he established place OF worship.
In 1896 Fort Crawford was established at
this point by the government, and Colonel
Zachary Taylor was placed in command.
The ruins Of Fort Crawford are situated
on rise of ground just south Of Prairie du
Chen. There are yet few men in Wis
cousin who remember President Tay Tor and
his garrison at the fort, as we'll az the
pompous JET Davis, then young officer
in subordinate command. Uucle Green,
rs he is known here, is one of the few men
of that sort lett He said to-day:
II am sorry that the old flagstaff at the
fort has been cut down. That seemed to
be the only thing that never changed, for
it stood there just the same as it used to
when young JEFF Davis pulled the stars and
stripes to its very top and stood and watch
ed the flag as the wind caught in its folds.
But that was many years ago, and there
have been many changes. Did / know Jeif
Davis? Well, should always rather think
of him as | knew him then. He was a
dashing young officer, inclined to be over
bearing in his ways, never deign-
ing to look at those he
thought beneath him in social position
or rank. He was a gallant lover, and it
was no wonder that the beautiful daughter
of Colonel Taylor fell in love with him
here. She was romantic young creature,
as | remember her, and was the one bright
and refining influence thrown around the
rough camp life. Oh, yes, she worshpped
young Davis But her father, grim old
warrior that he was, could not tolerate JEFF
| DAVIS anu Wntn SAW luul HIS
was continually unhappy unless in the
company of the young officer, he deter.
mined on separating them, and accordingly
sent his daughter 10 convent in Baton
Rouge His dislike of Davis grew into a
positive hatred, and much unpleasantness
was the result
an few days after the departure of the
daughter Davis presented him with doc.
ument that required his signature. 1t was
an order from General Wayne granting a
furlOugh to Davis The wary old colonel
saw through the ruse in moment, and ut
first refused 10 sign the order, but could
not well persist in this Decentralization or
he would be guilty of contempt. The
order had come from his superior officer,
aud he must sign ii. and with a black
scowl on his face he affixed his signature
/, the official document. JEFF was now
- for 80 days, and he lost no time in
fastening to Baton Rouge to join his sweet
heart. Colonel Taylor was man of great
determination, as he afterward showed in
the Mexican war and in the Presidential
+ char. He despatched his swiltest mes
sengers to bring his daughter home by n
circuitous route and thus thwart the young
officer who was hurrying to meet her. The
girl was brought back to the parental root,
and, after spending greater part Of his
Through in st. Louis, Davis returned to
Fort Crawford Old Colonel Taylor could
fight the Indians and would rather have
met whole tribe than contend with the
domestic troubles that now assailed him
He had built log house Just on the side
har tgf ,,r .la,, u t.Y
strained her beautiful eyes as she watched
J the surface of the river for the coming OF
her lover. After the return of Davis TO
Fort Crawford the GOODNESS which hitherto
{ EXISTED between himself and Colonel Tay-
lor grew more frigid. The young woman
pinned away in the seclusion OF the log hut,
! and the Young officer bided the time when
. he might take his intended from her
fathers root stealthily and in the night
The father knew the character of the man
{ he had to deal with, and watched his
2 daughter closely Now, it has been dis
pntcd that JEFF Davis took this Young wo-
man from her fathers house in the night,
hut am ready to Tell what | know and
stand by it,
"You see, it happened this way: My name
: is George Green, and am 80 years old if
, live until next November II was about
1894, or near that time, when /, with a
number of Others went up the Mississippi
: river on steamer 10 visit the Falls of St.
Anthony. We left he steamer where st.
Paul now is, and went oter TO the falls, re-
naming so long that when We returned
the boat was gone. Nothing remained for
us to do do but 10 buy large canoe from
, tho Indians which we did, and
, fSd down the river 10 Fort
Crawford. At that time there
was slough separating the few houses
which constituted the village from the
trading post and the fort on the bank OF
the river. thought might make some
money by using the canoe as a ferryboat
across this slough, and bought ont the in
terest of my partners. | accordingly es-
tablished my ferry, and jeff Davis was
one of my patrons. / did not like his
pompous ways, for when he paid his
passage he always threw the money into
nv hand as though he was throwing men
ey to hegglr. One day he came to me
and asket me if | could safely
row two persons across the river, aud
| replied that ! could. Shortly
after he came again, and seemed to be
somewhat excited as he asked me To he on
hand that evening with my canoe. He
was more gracious in his manner, and gave
me some money as q guarantee Of good
faith. did not know then that / was to
he party to an elopement, or l might
have objected TO doing wrong against
Colonel Taylor, for whom / had the high
est regard 1t came about, however, that
, I was at the slough after the sun went
down, and waited patiently for the young
officer
81 had waited some hours when heard
f footsteps, and turning, saw JEFF Davis
and Colonel Tsylor's daughter hurrying
toward me- Not word was spoken as he